Door.



PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

P. W.' NEWMAN.

DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED 11.20.18.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Attorneys 1n: Nanni: Ps'rzns ca., wlsnmcron, n. c.,

FLOYD W. NEWMAN, OF BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. e1, 190e.

Application led December 18, 1905. Serial No. 292,369.

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD W. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Door, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in doors, gates, window-shutters and similar structuies, and the frame and casings supporting the same, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efiiciency and utility' of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this character formed of a plurality of interfolding sections so connected and arranged that they collapse or are disposed in .a comparatively small space when not in use or when the closure is in open position.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be locked in any desired position, entirely closed, entirely open, or at any intermediate point.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device of this character in which the parts will not bear against each other when operated, to prevent scratching or otherwise marring the finish of the parts.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is betterl understood, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of the improved device with the door in closed position. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the door structure and its receiving-pocket disconnected from the frame and casing. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the pocket portion of the device with the door members in elevated or open position and in transverse section and illustrating `modified constructions of some of the parts. p

Fig. `5 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the construction of the lock portion of the device. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and also embodying some modifications. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion ofthe stile portion of the door structure, illustrating its construction more fully. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper folding leaf detached, illustrating one form `of the construction. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the supporting-frame of the device. Fig. l() shows a modified form of the lower edges of the folding leaves. Fig. 11 is a sectional detail illustrating the manner in which the flexible packings are applied to the foldin leaves. Fig. l2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the handle and brace coupling devices.

The improved device may be applied to doors of all kinds, window-shutters, some forms of gates, and like structures, but for the purpose of illustration is shown applied as a door and the improved form of frame and casing associated therewith.

The improved device comprises a supporting-frame, including the casings, a pocket Within the frame and into which the door members are folded when in open position, a plurality of interengaging leaves or sections, a stile or outer member attached movably to the leaves and foldable within the same when the door is in open position, a locking mechanism whereby the door may be locked in open or closed position or at numerous intermediate points, a spring mechanism whereby the movements of the door are assisted in opening and closing, and various minor details of construction, which will be described in order. All the parts, including the frame and casing, are of metal, and are therefore fireproof, and no wood or other combustible material enters into the construction.

The supporting-frame of the device consists of vertical tubular members 10, connected at the ends to the floor 1l and the ceiling 12 in the room where the door is to be erected, the members 10 being properly spaced apart to receive and support the casings 13 of sheet metal, preferably steel, and of any fanciful design or configuration. The peculiar and novel construction of door herein disclosed requires a pocket or recess above the doorway-opening, into which the upper portion of IOO IIO

lthe header members of the casing, the

, header tubular members being secured, as by bolts 17 or other suitable fastenings. Within the space between the frame members 10 at one side is secured a sheet-metal pocket or receptacle 18, preferably enlarged at the inner end, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the edge of the pocket next the doorway-opening being open. The body of the door is composed ofa plurality of substantially U-shaped members or leaves 19 and a stile or vertical member 20, the members 19 being horizontal when the door is in closed position and vertical when the door is in open position. For the purpose of this-description the members 19 will be referred to as the leaves and the members 20 as the stile The leaves are arranged with the spaced or open edges'of one leaf overlapping the closed edge of the next leaf and each leaf pivoted at the lower corner at one end to the opposite sides of the pocket 18, as at 21, and with the opposite ends of the leaves extended at the sides and pivoted, as at 22, to the inner or closed edge of the stile 20. By this arrangement it will be obvious that the leaves 19 will fold or nest in vertical position within the pocket 18, and the stile 20 will fold in vertical position into the nested leaves, and thus uncover the doorway-opening.

At their ends the leaves 19 are formed with parallel sides, and the stile 2O is likewise formed with the inner portion or the portion next the leaves also with parallel sides, so that the parts where the rivets or bolts occur are square with thelatter and will retain the same close relationship at all points of the movement. To the same end the closed upper sides of the leaves 19 are slightly inclined, as indicated inFig. 1. The inner face of the stile- 20 is slightly inclined longitudinally, as represented in Fig. 1, to enable it to fold more closely into the pocket 18 and with less waste room. When folded, as in Fig. 4, the lower leaf 19 will present its open side toward the doorway-opening, and to prevent an unsightly appearance the lower leaf will be closed transversely for a portion of its distance, as indicated at 81.

Attached to two of the leaves 19, preferably the upper one and one near the bottom of the series, are brackets 76 77 projecting into the pocket member 1.8, and coupled by pivots 78 79 to these brackets is a bar 80, which thus serves as a governor to control the movement of the leaves and stile and cause them to operate uniformly when the door structure is being opened or closed. If preferred, the brackets 76 77 may be integral with the leaves 19, with which they are associated, as shown at 82 in Fig. 8. The outer edges of formed to receive them in the inner face of y the door-frame at the lock side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to insure an air-tight joint a packing 24, of suitable material-such as felt, plush, or the likeis disposed in the otherwise open edge of the stile 20, the packing adapted to bear against the bottom of the pocket and prevent the passage of air in either direction. As before stated, the receiving-pocket 18 is preferably formed increasing in width toward the inner edge, and the leaf members 19 are likewise formed with their sides converging toward the stile 20, while the same sides diverge toward their open lower sides, so that when folded into the pocket 18 the parts will draw away from each other, and thus avoid marring or scratching the contiguous surfaces or the varnish or other finish thereon. This action is clearly shown in Fig. 4. To still further protect the parts, washers 25, of flexible material-such as felt, leather, or the like-may be employed between the parts to hold them slightly separated and preventing the contiguous faces from coming in contact, as represented in Fig. 9. The parts being wholly of metal, the contact of metal upon metal would otherwise make an unpleasant noise and create unnecessary friction. To this end the lower edges of the members 19 will be provided with' bindings 26, of felt, plush, or the like, as represented in Figs. 5 and 11; but the packings 26 are not shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, as their presence might obscure other parts of the device.

Disposed upon the iioor 11 within the pocket 18 is a socket 27, within which a spring 28 is seated by its bend 29, the spring bearing over a pin upon the lower leaf 19, the pin preferably being the 'pivot 21 of the lower leaf 19. The two parts of the spring are coupled by a band 31 and one part extended and held between two spaced pins 32 33, attached to the leaf 19, and the other part bent around the band 31, as at 53. When the door is in closed position, the spring 28 is held in position, strained over the adjacent side 34 of the socket 27 as in Fig. 1, and thus exerts a lifting force upon the door to assist in opening the same, and when the door is partially open or with the leaves and stile balanced upon the pivots 21 the spring will be in its central position in the socket 27 and exert no force. As the movement of the door continues rearwardly, or into its complete open position, the spring is strained over the rear wall 35 of the socket 27, and thus exerts a force to assist in starting the door members in their return movement when the door is to be closed. By this means the labor of operating the door is materially lessened.

The upper leaf 19 and several of the intermediate leaves are provided with extensions IIO 36 at their outer lower corners, and coupled by a pivot 54 to the upper extension is a strip 55, the latter extending downwardly and coupled to the remaining extensions 36. A handle 37 is formed with inturned ends` 56 57, bearing against the outer faces of the lower pair of the projections 36 and secured thereto by clamp-screws tapped through the proj ections, one of the screws being shown at 58 in Fig. 12. The tie-strip 55 iits over the inturned ends 56 57 of the handle and is spaced from the projections 36 by the washers 25. T he lowermost leaf 19 is wider than the remaining leaves, the excess of width being equal to the length of the extensions 36, so that when the door is in open position the lower edges of the lower leaf member 19 will be flush with the outer edges of the extensions 36, as hereinafter explained. The pivots 21 of the pocket ends of the leaves 19 are extended through the vertical frame members 10, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and swinging upon one of these pivots is a brace member 38, extending thence through an aperture 39 in the adjacent face of the casing 13 and continued longitudinally of the leaf members and spaced from the same and provided with an aperture engaging the upper inturned end 56 of the handle 37. The brace member is projected over the stile 20 and bent inwardly and backwardly toward the same end 56 of the handle to which it is engaged by an eye 60, thus forming an open loop 61. The eye 60 bears against the tiestrip 55 and is separated from the body of the brace member' where it engages the end 56 by a spacer-ferrule 62 to maintain the sides of the loop portion in spaced position'. Disposed upon the end 56 outside the brace member 38 is a washer or sleeve 83, having its outer face inclined and serving as a stop to prevent outward movement of the parts. The brace member 38 is curved at 40 concentric to the pivot 21 upon which it swings, so that when the door structure is elevated into open position the curved portion causes the brace member to pass through the aperture 39 without binding or rendering it necessary to form the aperture but slightly larger than the brace member.

The locking mechanism is illustrated more fully in Figs. 5 and 6, and consists of a bolt 41, slidably disposed in a casing 42, secured within one of the leaves 19 by bolts 43 and held yieldably in projected position by a;

spring 44, the free end of the bolt 41 adapted for engr-.gement with spaced notches 45 in a segmental member 46, secured within the stile 20 by bolts or rivets 47. The pivot 22 immediately above the bolt 41 is replaced by a longer pivot or bolt 48 extending entirely through both portions of the leaf 19 and the stile 20 and provided exteriorly of the leaf with an operating-lever 49, the latter exing the binding 26 in place.

brace member and terminating in a knob 68 below the loop. The loop thus serves as a guard and guide for the lock-operating handle. Thebolt 48 is provided with an arm 50, operating in a recess 51 in the bolt 41. By this arrangement it will be obvious that when the door is in closed position, with the bolt 41 inthe lowermost of the recesses 45 ofv the segment 46, the door cannot be opened unless the lever 49 be operated to cause the arm 50 to draw the bolt 41, and it will also be obvious that the door will likewise beheld locked in its open position by the bolt 41 enn tering the uppermost recess 45, and in like manner the door may be held at any intermediate point by causing the bolt to enter one of the intermediate recesses.

When the device is erected in new buildings or built in with the structure, the tubular members 10 will be secured permanently in position, as by pins 69 70 in the floor and ceiling 11 and 12, but when the improved device is erected in buildings already constructed the device illustrated in Fig. 9 will be employed by supporting the pin 70 yieldably in projected position by a spring 71 within the tubular members 10, so that the pin 70 may be sprung into a socket prepared for it in the iioor or ceiling, and thus secure the tubular members firmly in position. The lower edges of the leaves 19 upon which the. packings 26 are disposed may be constructed, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, to assist in hold- The handle members 37, brace-rod 38, and lever member 49 are shown on one side only of the door structure in Figs. 2 and 3 but it will be understood that these parts may be upon both sides, if required, as represented in Figs. 4 and 6. The stile 20 is provided with an aperture 73 opposite the lock-bolt mechanism 41 42 to enable the latter to enter the stile when the door is elevated into open position. The members 10, while preferably arranged to extend from floor to ceiling in the building where the device is erected, may be otherwise arranged, as circumstances may require. While the device is shown arranged to open by swinging the leaves and stile upwardly into a pocket 14 above the doorway-opening, it will be understood that the pocket may be arranged below the doorway-opening and the leaves and stiles folding downwardly into the same without material structural changes in the parts. lfn some localities two of the doors may be employed opening by folding in opposite directions and with the stile members centrally of the doorway-opening.

ln Figs. 1 and 2 pockets or depressions 74 are formed in the casing 13 at opposite sides of the door to receive the braces 38, handles 37, and lock-levers 49 when the door is in open position, so that no part of the structure projects beyond the casing. When the tending through the loop portion 61 of the door is in closed position, the twofold inclina- TOO tions of the leaf members 19 cause apertures to occur between the inner faces of the leaves and the adjacent faces of the stile where they interlap, and to fill these gaps and prevent the passage of air inclined strips 75 are attached to the stile 20,as shown in Fig. 7. The upper leaf 19 may be formed with parallel sides vertically, and the strips 75 may be correspondingly parallel where they engage the upper leaf and are only as thick as the metal of the leaves. Under some circumstances the parts may be arranged with the pocket operating as the stile and the stile as a support for the leaves g but this would not require material modifications in the construction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves-in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, and a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is in open position.

y2. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is in open position, and locking means carried by the closure for rendering the leaves rigid at any point of their elevation.

3. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is in open position, a spring-actuated bolt, and a member having spaced recesses to receive said bolt one at a time and connected respectively to one of said leaves and to said stile, for rendering said leaves rigid at any point of elevation.

4. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the nterfolded leaves when the door is in open position, a spring-actuated bolt carried within one of said leaves, an arm extending from the adjacent pivot of said leaf-supporting bolt and operating in a recess in said bolt, an operating-lever connected to said pivot, a plate within the stile and provided with spaced recesses for receiving said bolt when projected.

5. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides diverging toward the inner edge, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and with the side walls converging toward the free ends and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, and a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is moved into open position, and the adjacent surfaces of the individual members of the structure caused to draw away from each other and avoid friction between the parts.

6. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving -poclet, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and l with the side walls converging toward the free ends and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is moved into open position, and the adjacent surfaces of the individual members, of the structure caused to draw away from each other and avoid friction between the parts, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, and bindings of yieldable material upon the overlapping edges of said leaves.

7. In a closure of the class described, a stationary side member, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted to said member with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping, a stile with the free ends of the leaves individually pivoted thereto, and a brace-bar spaced. from said leaves and pivoted at one end to the pocket end of one of the leaves and with the other end pivoted at the free end of the same leaf.

8. In a closure of the class described a door-frame, a pocket within said frame at one side and opening into the doorway-opening, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted within said pocket with their adjacent longi- IOO IIO

ISO

tudinal edges overlapping, a stile with the free ends of the leaves individually pivoted thereto, and a brace-bar spaced fronisaid leaves and pivoted at one end to one of the pivots at the pocket end of the leaves and with a section curved concentric to said pivot and extending through an aperture in the frame and pivoted at the free end of the same leaf.

9. In a closure of the class described, a door-frame, a pocket within said frame at one side and opening into the doorway-opening and a recess in the frame at the opposite side and opening into the doorway-opening, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted within said pocket and with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping, and a stile with the free ends of the leaves individually pivoted thereto and capable of seating within the recess in the frame when the door is in closed position. i

10. In a closure of the class described, a door-frame, a pocket within said frame at one side and opening into the doorway-opening and a recess in the frame at the opposite side and opening into the doorway-opening, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted within saidl pocket and with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping, a stile with the free ends of the leaves individually pivoted thereto and capable of seating within the recess in the frame when the door is in closed position, and a yieldable packing-strip attached to said stile to bear against the frame 'within the recess.

11. In a closure of the class described, a door-frame including spaced vertical tubular supporting members bearing at one end over depending pins and with spring-supported pins at the other ends forA entering sockets in the acent supporting structure, horizontal tubular members within the header portion of said frame and connected at the ends to the vertical members, a pocket within said frame at one side and opening into the doorway-opening and a recess in the frame at the opposite side and opening into the doorwayopening, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted within scifi pocket and with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping, and a stile'with the free ends of the leaves individually pivoted thereto and capable of seating within the recess in the frame when the door is in closed position.

12. In a closure of the class described, a static-nary side member, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted to said member with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping and with projections at the free ends of two or more of the leaves, lifting-bars pivoted to said projections, and a stile with the free ends of the leaves pivoted thereto.

13. ln a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, a socket adjacent to the pocket-pivot of one of said leaves and having extended side walls, a spring folded upon itself and seated at the fold within said socket, spaced pins carried by the leaf adjacent to said socket and embracing both arms of said spring, and spaced pins carried by said leaf and embracing one arm of said spring.

14. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when they door is in open position, and a bar coupled to the upper leaf and two or more of the intermediate leaves and operating within said pocket, to govern the movements of the leaves.

15. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a .plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted to the free ends of said leaves whereby the leaves are capable of interfclding wi thin the. pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is in open position, and a guard-strip movably connected to the leaves.'

16. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, a stile pivoted tothe free ends of said leaves, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding withe in the pocket and the stile foldable within the interfolded leaves when the door is in open position, and filler-strips upon the stile for closing the spaces between the leaves and stile when in closed position.

17. In a closure of the class described, a stationary receiving-pocket having spaced sides and opening into the doorway-opening, a plurality of leaves in U shape in transverse section and with the side walls parallel for a distance at the ends and converging toward the outer ends between the parallel portions, the parallel portions of said leaves at one end individually pivoted within the pocket with their adjacent spaced longitudinal edges overlapping the connected longitudinal edges of the adjacent leaf, and a stile substantially in U shape in cross-section with the sides parallel for a distance at the open edge and con- A verging toward the closed edge for the remainder of the distance, the parallel portions of said stile pivoted between the parallel portions of said leaves at the outer ends, whereby the leaves are capable of interfolding within the pocket and the stile resting within the interfolded leaves when the door is disposed in open position, and the parts caused to move without lateral strains or friction.

18. In a closure of the class described, a stationary side member, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted to said member with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping and with projections at the free ends of two or more of the leaves, a handle having laterally-extended ends bearing against two of said projections, clamp-screws operating through said projecting portions and into said extended ends, a brace member pivoted at one end at the pocket end of one of the leaves and engaging one of the extended ends of the handle projecting beyond the same and returned parallel to the body of .the brace and spaced from the same and connected to the handle end, a spaced sleeve upon the handle end between the parts of the brace member,

and a stopeferrule upon the handle between the body of the same and the brace member.

19. In a closure of the class described, a stationary side member, a plurality of leaves individually pivoted to said member with their adjacent longitudinal edges overlapping and with projections at the free ends of two or more of the leaves, lifting-bars pivoted to said projections, a guard-strip attached to the projecting portions of said leaves and likewise engaging the lateral ends of said handle, a brace member pivoted at one end at the pocket end ofthe leaves and engaging one of the extended ends of the handle and projecting beyond the same and returned parallel to the body of the brace and spaced therefrom and connected to the handle end exteriorily of the guard-strip, a spacer-sleeve upon the handle end between the spaced parts of the brace member, and a stop-ferrule upon the handle between the body of the same and the brace member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto a'lixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FLOYD W. NEWMAN. 

